Snow sparked chaos over the weekend â and shivering punters finally escaped Yorkshire’s Tan Hill pub, where drifts trapped them after a New Year’s party.

Ewe look cold: Sheep seek refuge at the Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in Great Britain, following overnight snowfall over the Pennines

Up to 9cm (3.5in) of snow created treacherous conditions across Scotland and northern England, shutting roads and train lines on Saturday.

But more heavy snow is predicted across the country from Wednesday, with as much as 20cm (7.8in) in the Highlands and 5cm (2in) in London.

âThe next few days are going to be very cold, with day-time temperatures struggling to get above freezing everywhere,â said Robin Downton at the Met Office. âNormal temperatures for this time of year are around seven or eight degrees.

âWe have issued weather warnings over the past few days about severe weather and there will probably be some warnings for risk of ice so drivers need to be careful,â he added. Three people were killed and another three injured in a spate of road accidents in the difficult conditions.

A man and a woman died near Barnstaple in Devon on Saturday as they drove on a busy road in freezing conditions.

A 24-year-old, Colin Sommerville, was killed in a head-on crash on the Western Isle of Lewis the same day.

Two 17-year-olds were seriously injured and another youth was slightly injured when their car skidded on ice and crashed into a tree on the A26 at Boars Head, East Sussex, on Friday.

Temperatures over the weekend sank to extreme lows, with -17ºC (1.4ºF) recorded in Braemar, Aberdeenshire.

The AA reported more than 30,000 breakdowns in the past two days and predicted a record number of call-outs today as families resorted to their second cars. Up to 18,000 calls are expected.

Meanwhile, punters at Englandâs highest pub have been enjoying a lock-in since New Yearâs Eve and they have the perfect excuse â they are snowed in.

Drinkers at The Tan Hill Inn, in the Yorkshire Dales, have been stuck due to drifting snow, which has hit 2.1m (7ft) in places.

But spirits have been high among members of Leeds University Cross Country Club, who held their New Year party at the boozer.

âThere are about 30 of us in total in the pub and weâve all been mucking in helping with chores and thereâs been a pub quiz every night,â said student Nathan Martin.